The Runaway Bride
by AlexandraO
Summary: After leaving her groom at the altar, Hermione runs through Muggle London looking for a refuge. For once, she was happy not knowing what the future would hold.


_Hey all! This little one-shot just popped into my head, and I needed to share it with all of you! It hasn't been through a beta and all mistakes are mine. Let me know what you think! XOXO, Alexandra_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing Harry Potter, although I wish I did._

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Her heels clicked against the concrete as she ran away from the cathedral. Dressed in white, she had just escaped what could have been one of the biggest mistakes of her life. A bystander curiously looked at her as she stopped to take a breather and find out exactly where she was. In order for her family to attend the nuptials, she had convinced Ronald…well mostly his mother, that a church wedding in the muggle world would be the best course of action.

Having run away from her own wedding, she knew that she would be followed. She didn't have much time to figure out where exactly she was. Either she needed to find an apparition point, or The Leaky Cauldron. Not able to whip out her wand and perform the point me spell, Hermione took in her surroundings. She recognized several well-known department stores, and turning towards the west, she saw the sign for Charing Cross Road. Taking off her shoes, she lifted her dress and made a run for it.

Running down Charing Cross Road, The Leaky Caldron came into view. Sighing with relief, she stepped inside, cautious of her surroundings. Looking around, she saw no one she knew and made a bee-line for the bar.

"Tom, I need a firewhiskey stat," Hermione breathed, almost wheezing from her run.

"Will do, my dear," he said as he poured her drink and slid it across the bar to her. "It's on the house."

"Thank you, Tom."

The one thing Hermione loved about the owner was that he never asked too many questions. She was grateful, as all of the Wizarding World knew two-thirds of The Golden Trio were supposed to be exchanging vows today. Tom would never say a word to reporters asking probing questions. Chugging down half of her firewhiskey, she never noticed the stranger who took a seat at the barstool next to hers.

"Granger, that is quite the get-up. Where is your Weasel?" he drawled.

Looking to her left, Draco Malfoy ordered a pint of Ogden's Finest Firewhiskey. She rolled her eyes as he paid for his drink. He had too much fucking money for his own good. Not that she wasn't well off with the fortune she received for her aid in ending the Second Wizarding War. She just didn't flaunt it as he had always done throughout school.

"Shut it, Malfoy," Hermione growled, taking another deep drink of her firewhiskey.

Glancing at the door to the Leaky Cauldron, she knew they would eventually come looking for her here. It was the bridge from the Muggle World to the Wizarding World after all. Malfoy must have picked up on how restless Hermione was acting, and noticed the fact that she was groom-less and drinking alone in a bar.

She heard him laugh, which she had never heard in the 10 years of knowing the git. Looking over at him again, his head was thrown back, and his normal smirk was replaced with a full-blown out smile.

"You left Weasley at the altar, didn't you?" he chortled, still laughing.

Unable to speak, she just nodded, with a bit of a smirk on her lips. The situation wasn't funny, but his laughter was contagious. Hermione had no idea why, but she felt like she wanted to spill all of her troubles to her ex-enemy.

"It's simple," she blurted out, when Malfoy quieted down. "I couldn't marry him. It just seemed like the right thing to do after the war after all of our history. We didn't think about what we actually wanted."

Malfoy didn't respond, just sat there looking at her as if he had never seen her before. She usually would be uncomfortable with that type of attention, but understood the curiosity. She was also curious about him, and what had been happening in his world. She had seen The Daily Prophet, and knew that he had called off his engagement to Astoria Greengrass. Well, knowing Rita Skeeter and the bullshit she spewed, it might not actually be true.

"To be honest, we are definitely better off friends. Plus, he is horrendous in the sack," she said nonchalantly.

A moment later, her eyes went wide and she clamped her hand down on her mouth. Looking at Malfoy, he was laughing again. This time, it was definitely from her revelation about Ron's ability in bed.

"I shouldn't have said that," Hermione gasped, palming her forehead.

"Don't worry Granger. I won't tease Weasel," Malfoy said smirking. She knew he would if they were ever in the same vicinity. "I am not surprised though that he is terrible. Watching him snog Lavender Brown all over the castle sixth year proves he knows nothing."

Not knowing how to respond, Hermione chugged the rest of her drink and ordered another. Pulling out some galleons, Malfoy stopped her.

"I got this one Granger," he said, winking at her as he handed Tom money for the drink plus some.

"I wonder how long it will take them to find me here," she fretted, once more looking to the door of the bar.

"They're on search for you?! This is probably one of the first places they'll look," Malfoy exclaimed, looking bewildered.

"Doubt it. We were getting married in Muggle London. They will most likely search that area first before making their way to the Wizarding World," she replied.

She watched him as he pressed his lips together unknowing of the emotion he was currently feeling. His face never gave anything away, but the small crinkle in his forehead, and the way his lips were pressed together in a tight, thin line—she knew something was up.

"Cat got your tongue, Malfoy?" she teased him.

He looked sideways at her, and she bit her lip willing him to respond.

"Want to know the truth?"

She nodded, still biting down on her lip, almost nervous of what he was about to reveal.

"I always thought you were too good for Weasel. Too intelligent, too thoughtful," he paused before continuing. "Too beautiful."

She had never seen Draco Malfoy blush, but he definitely was now. She smiled at the compliment, and she couldn't….no, wouldn't argue with him. Ron never complimented her, and more often than not, he was actually insulting her.

"Well Draco," she purred, as she watched him glance at her in surprise at using his first name. "That was quite the compliment. Thank you."

Feeling adventurous, Hermione leaned in and pressed her lips to Malfoy's. At first, she assumed he was shocked because he didn't respond to the kiss. After the shock wore off, he deepened the kiss. One hand tangled in her curly locks, and the other took a possessive hold on her hip pulling her closer.

His tongue brushed against her lips, begging to enter. She obliged and opened her mouth. Their tongues tangled together, fighting for dominance, both becoming intoxicated with each other. She knew she shouldn't be doing this—especially just after leaving another man at their wedding.

Before she knew it, he broke off the kiss. Both of them out of breath, panting at their little excursion.

"Wow," Hermione whispered.

"Wow, is right Granger. That was intense."

Both recovering from their moment of passion, they sat in silence nursing their drinks when there was a commotion at the door.

First she looked at Malfoy in horror, knowing that the wedding party had finally found her. Quickly, she turned her attention to the entrance of bar and saw the Weasleys, the Grangers and her friends barge into the bar.

"Hermione Jean Granger," her mother yelled, clearly upset at her daughter's actions.

Hermione looked once more at Malfoy, silently begging for his help.

"Do you trust me?" he murmured in her ear, as she watched the looks of shock appear on her friends faces that she was with a Malfoy.

"Yes," she whispered back, nodding simultaneously. Looping his arm through hers, he turned on the spot and she felt the uncomfortableness of apparition.

Arriving at their new destination, Hermione smiled up at her blond-haired, grey eyed knight in shining armor. Hermione, for once, was happy not knowing what the future held. As his lips touched hers once again, she realized that this had been what she was missing.


End file.
